By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Following a consultative meeting between the Department of Agriculture (D.A.) and swine industry stakeholders on April 14, both parties agreed to intensify the enforcement of the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on pork.
Said consultation was done due to D.A.’s discovery of low MSRP compliance among sellers of pork products, in several market inspections conducted by the agency this month.
Representatives from the swine industry have also pledged to police their ranks to quell profiteering and non-compliance with statutory prices imposed on swine products.
Under current D.A. guidelines, the MSRP is set at P300 per kilo for freshly slaughtered carcass, P350 per kilo for pigue (leg/ham) and kasim (shoulder), and P380 per kilo for liempo (pork belly).
Meanwhile, Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock Dante Palabrica underscored the need to uphold the gentleman’s agreement reached in earlier consultations to avoid implementing more disruptive market interventions.
Palabrica emphasized that MSRPs serve as an equilibrium between the interests of the swine industry and consumers on account of persistent inflation woes.
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